On Tuesday, federal prosecutors dropped the hammer on Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev, a Russian national accused of masterminding the notorious LockBit ransomware-as-a-service gang. This 31-year-old from Voronezh, Russia, now finds himself in hot water, with the U.S. State Department dangling a hefty $10 million reward for any info leading to his capture.
Adding to his woes, the Treasury Department slapped sanctions on Khoroshev, freezing all his U.S. assets and interests. The Department of Justice wasted no time, unveiling a laundry list of charges against him in a New Jersey federal court. Allegations include creating, running, and profiting from LockBit, which the DOJ labels as one of the world’s most prolific ransomware groups.
LockBit wasn’t picky about its targets, hitting over 2,000 victims, primarily in the U.S., and raking in over $500 million in ransom payments. And that’s not even counting the broader economic fallout, which amounts to billions. The group’s business model was simple: license their ransomware to other cybercriminals in exchange for a cut of the profits. And who were their victims? Just about anyone, from individuals and small businesses to massive corporations, hospitals, schools, nonprofits, and even government agencies.
Khoroshev, going by aliases like LockBitSupp and putinkrab, allegedly took home a cool $100 million from these illegal activities, pocketing a hefty 20% of each ransom payment. But his reign of digital terror hit a snag when law enforcement, in a coordinated effort with international partners, seized LockBit’s online infrastructure earlier this year.
Despite the takedown, authorities found evidence that Khoroshev had copies of data stolen from victims who coughed up the ransom. He’s not alone in facing charges; five other LockBit members are already in the legal crosshairs. One is cooling his heels in a New Jersey jail, while another awaits extradition from Canada.
The charges against Khoroshev are serious business, including conspiracy to commit fraud and extortion, wire fraud, and various computer-related offenses. If convicted, he could be looking at spending the rest of his days behind bars. FBI Director Christopher Wray didn’t mince words, calling LockBit a menace that wreaked havoc worldwide, leaving schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure in its wake.
